1. This is thoroughly nutty. The basic premise of libertarianism is 180 degrees away from numerous positions held by Mike Gravel. I can’t believe a party that practically worships as deities people like Milton Friedman, Ludwig von Mises, Freidrich Hayek, and Murray Rothbard would nominate someone for president who opposes most everything those folks advocated, and why Senator Gravel would not only join such a party, but run for its presidential nomination, is absolutely bizarre.

2. Furthermore, what was the point of Gravel “endorsing” Jesse Johnson, or anybody else for that matter, for the Green Party nomination if he knew he was going to be joining the Libertarian Party? These parties are not exactly interchangeable, folks.

3. It does seem bizarre, Mr. Gaines. Perhaps he thought no one would notice the disparity!

4. Mike Gravel running, especially with Bob Barr (and it does not matter who is President or Vice President) would be a good addition to the third party candidates this year. If it happens the combination of Nader-Gonzalez, Gravel-Barr and Cynthia McKinney would be the strongest groups of third party candidates in a long time.

   Gravel supports many Libertarian principles: opposed military intervention, favors gun rights, opposes the drug war, wants to end the income tax (substitute with Fair Tax) and wants more direct democracy through the national voter initiative. He is a good fit.

   If he wants it he better start running now as there are 14 Libertarian candidates already working for the nomination. And, he better stop mention FDR with fondness — that was no libertarian president!

   KZ

5. It seems to me Gravel would be more comfortable with the Greens than the Libertarians. The single payer health care system Gravel wants isn’t going to sit will with Libertarians.

   Has there ever been this many people looking for the LP nod?

6. I don’t think we should bash Mike Gravel for trying to get the LP’s ballot lines – besides he won’t succeed anyway. This is simply what happens in countries that have very unfair ballot access laws. I’d also point out that he has some views that are not in line with the Green Party (i.e. his opposition to taxing the income of the very wealthy). When you also include his “direct democracy” views, he really is quite different from any currently existing political party.

7. The Honorable Mike Gravel has a right to run for whatever party’s nomination that he wishes. That is what democracy is all about. If the reactionary capitalist Old Guard that currently controls the Libertarian Party does not like it, they are free to bolt to the Constitution Party.

8. With all due respect to Kevin Zeese (whom I admire for the work he did on behalf of Ralph Nader in 2004), I strongly opposed his fusion efforts in Maryland between the Libertarian and Green parties in 2006 for the very same reason I think Mike Gravel’s latest move is wacky. Notice that in no way do I oppose Gravel’s right to run whenever, wherever, and however he chooses. Unlike many other Greens, I didn’t have a coniption fit when Ralph decided to run again as an independent. But I in turn certainly have a parallel right to broadcast an opinion over whether I think his behavior makes sense or not.

   I joined the Libertarian Party in 1974 and was deeply involved with their presidential campaigns into the 1980’s. I was involved on a daily basis with LP philosophy & internal politics long before most people who post on these sites ever heard of the LP or, in some cases, were even born. I am very well aware of what libertarianism is all about and, unless the LP has compromised its philosophy significantly of late, there are so many extremely fundamental differences between the Libertarian Party’s most basic positions and the positions Mike Gravel has advocated for years that the two are essentialy oil and water in relation to each other. My reaction to this is the same as if Jesse Jackson had withdrawn from the Democratic primaries in 1988 and announced he had joined the Republican Party.

   Opposing the war is not enough. Supporting civil liberties is not enough. Cherry picking a handful of compatible issues is not enough. I haven’t been a libertarian for many years now but I still respect their commitment to a consistent philosophy. It is a philosophy that is so far away from Mike Gravel that, barring a massive lack of knowledge of what libertarianism is all about, which would in itself disqualify him from serious consideration as a presidential candidate, I can only conclude that this is an exercise in either pragmatism or that dreaded phrase, an ego trip. None of these criticisms would apply if Senator Gravel had made the same move into the Green Party, which is in every way a far more appropriate fit for his core beliefs.

   Either way, I sympathize with libertarians who feel as I do. The LP, when I was involved with it, used to call itself “The Party of Principle.” After Kevin Zeese’s fusion debacle in 2006 and this Pat Buchanan-esque maneuver by Mike Gravel, I can only conclude that it should now be called “The Party of Whomever Needs a Ballot Access Vehicle.”

9. Mike is probably about as Libertarian Party material is Ron Paul. Except Paul probably dissented on civil liberties issues, where as Mike might do so on economic ones.

   I would agree that absent of real campaign law reform, no non-major party candidate has a real shot, but I hesitate to bash Fusion.

   Fusion tends to operate between a major and a minor party. Also, Greens and Libertarians certainly should work together more on election law reform initiatives.

10. David Gaines Says:
    March 28th, 2008 at 6:54 am

    […]
    I joined the Libertarian Party in 1974 and was deeply involved with their presidential campaigns into the 1980’s. I was involved on a daily basis with LP philosophy & internal politics long before most people who post on these sites ever heard of the LP or, in some cases, were even born.
    […]

    Phil Sawyer responds:

    It is unfortunate that you did not get involved with the Committee for a Constitutional Presidency/McCarthy ’76 independent presidential campaign in 1976 (instead on spinning your wheels with the go-nowhere Libertarian Party). We sure could have used your assistance!

    If the Libertarian Party does not nominate for president this year a well known person such as Bob Barr, Mike Gravel, or Jesse Ventura; it will continue to exist as a go-nowhere party.

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